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Saturday, 26 February 2011

Make it! craft fair 2011 and the rest of the day

This year's Make it! event was actually quite different to last years.

Last year, it was a really good show. Filled to the brim with craft suppliers stalls from all sorts of crafting backgrounds. The show was so well organised, and everything was spaced out nice and wide so there was plenty of access to disabled people, pushchairs and those crazy ass big trolleys hardcore crafters lug around with them. It was also a bit dramatic, as we were being battered by gale force winds making the temporary building (Think of it as a large tent with steel supports that has been there for 3 years) literally scream and warp. It was deafening, and I managed to get a small clip of when it had calmed down a bit.

The day after this was filmed the show was cancelled due to the winds making it unsafe.

This year however, was a bit of a disappointment. First of all, the layout had changed. They had packed the stands much closer together and not left as much room between aisles as before. I have no idea why, because there were actually far fewer exhibitors this year. This made getting around extremely difficult for anyone, let alone people in wheelchairs or those with children.

I don't know if it's me just losing interest, but I was really pissed off by how the paper crafting craze has just taken over. Since a couple, maybe even a few years ago it has become incredibly in vogue, making nice voids in the market for people to produce cheap crap aimed at the paper crafting mafia. Poor quality, tacky, but most annoying of all is that alot of these sellers are selling these at almost the same price as the big brands. Also, it means that it has taken over every single crafting event. If you are just going to have paper craft suppliers at your show, call it a 'Paper Craft Show' not a 'For all your crafting needs show'. This year, they had literally a handful of jewellery suppliers, even the PMC stand had reduced it's size to a third of what it usually is and the rest apart from ONE was all cheap, plastic crap. One tacky fabric stall, one selling over sized knitting needles, one selling honeycomb crafts and that's about it. I didn't buy anything.

By noon I was done, and so was Dyllan. He is usually able to run around and walk around with us, but this year it was far too dangerous, so we went back to the car to watch some planes land at Farnborough Airport.

Mum joined us no more than an hour later, so with half the day still on our hands we headed back to Southampton and I spoiled Dyllan in Hobbycraft with a basket full of Easter crafting goodies. Then, in one of my less finer moments, we decided I should pick up my new bed sheets from Ikea.

As we got nearer the store, we realised that the queue to get into the car park was past the West Quay Retail Park junction (the multi-storey end) so we went the long way round to park in West Quay Multi-storey so me and Mum could nip round with Dyllan and Dad could stay in the car. Herp De Derp: It's Saturday. The weather is also a bit pants, and the last weekend of half-term. Anyway, we did it. I went a bit mad and got a King size quilt. Always wanted a King size quilt. I think they're so much more luxurious and look so much better on a bed. So, with my quilt that weighed what felt like a house (It's an 'all-seasons' quilt, so 2 that join together for winter) and my new sheets I felt like a queen.

I have a confession to make. For some reason, I love brand new sheets. The 'new' smell, the starchy fabric, everything. So I only ever wash new bed linen if it's for Dyllan. Yeah I know, it's weird.

I stupidly thought that after spending all day on my feet, exhausted, getting home late and generally feeling like utter crap, that it would be a good idea to sort my new bedding out.

Ha.

It took me over 30 mins just to sort out joining the two quilts together. I thought the one quilt on it's own was still a little too thin for this time of year, and what's more fun than nesting in a massive heap of duvet?

What I had also forgotten is that I am a small person. A few extra lbs yes, but in height etc, I'm tiny.

It was me against the bedding.

I almost gave up, but just one look gleefully at my beautiful new sheets that I had wanted for ever spurred me on. They're on now, and I will be dreading wash days, but my god it is beautiful. I would show a picture, but my wallpaper is embarrassing, so here it is from Ikea. I think that's the one anyway. Now, to bed!!!